WASHINGTON – US President Joe Biden praised sports’ ability to heal and unite a nation in times of crisis when he hosted World Series champions Los Angeles Dodgers at the White House on Friday.
The Dodgers, who captured the title by defeating the Tampa Bay Rays last October, were the first team to be honored at the White House since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and the first since Biden took office.
“I think what we discovered is that we need sports more than we think,” said Biden, who praised baseball as a major totem of normalcy in “one of the most challenging years” in the nation’s history.
The president hailed the Dodgers as “much more than a baseball club, they are a pillar of American culture.” He also praised the team for using its stadium as a mass COVID-19 vaccination site.
The ceremony marked the latest step in the White House’s efforts to return to the big events in person, as it seeks to highlight the nation’s resurgence from the pandemic in the aftermath of COVID-19. More than 50 team members attended the event in the East Room, as well as several political heavyweights with ties to California, including Vice President Kamala Harris, House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.
Biden kept the mood light, joking that he didn’t want to dwell on the fact that Harris is a fan of his rivals San Francisco Giants. He also told stories about his own exploits at a Congressional baseball game, saying he hit a ball against the wall that thrilled his children more than any of his political achievements.
The stellar launcher Clayton kershaw presented Biden with what has become the standard gift: a T-shirt stamped on the back with the president’s name and number.
Biden, the 46th commander-in-chief, joked that he was showing he was “a brave man” by lifting his jersey because he risked drawing the ire of first lady Jill Biden, a rabid Philadelphia Phillies fan.
The jubilant championship ceremony had some of the political overtones that became a hallmark of team visits during Donald Trump’s presidency. Some champion teams, like the Golden state warriors of the NBA and the Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL, they omitted to be honored in the White House. Others, like New England Patriots and the Boston Red Sox, sent only limited delegations, with many players opting to stay at home.
The Dodgers pitcher Trevor bauer, who has a protection order against him for allegedly assaulting a woman during what he says was consensual sex, did not attend the event. He has denied the allegations, but was placed on administrative suspension by the team on Friday.
The Dodgers, who are in town for a four-game series with the Washington Nationals, said only members of the 2020 World Series team would attend, and Bauer didn’t sign with the team until this year.
Mookie betts, the star outfielder for the Red Sox champions in 2018, did not make the trip to the White House with Boston. Now at the Dodgers, Betts attended Friday’s event.
Trump also became known for serving fast food to teams visiting the executive mansion; details about the meals eaten by the Dodgers at the White House were not immediately released.
The 2020 title was the seventh World Series championship for the Dodgers in their history and they are among the favorites again this year, prompting Biden to joke that he might see them again.
.